Though modern machinery has largely automated the process of embroidering clothing and patches, current embroidery methods still require a considerable amount of user input. This not only increases the time requirement for the embroidery process but also leaves opportunities for human error and increased equipment maintenance. In addition, current embroidery methods involve the use of adhesive chemicals, adding to the cost of production and exposing some users to potentially harmful chemicals. In addition, the use of modern hoops can damage fragile embroiderables such as velvet, sheer and paper products and in the case of smaller embroiderables hooping can be very difficult.
FIG. 1 shows a typical embroidery machine well known in the art. Using a series of needles 101, each with its own thread, the machine 100 embroiders patterns in the center of a plastic hoop 102 that is secured to the frame of the machine.
FIG. 2 shows a closer view of an embroidery hoop 102. In this view one can see the tear away backing material 201 that is secured to the hoop 102.
Some machines are capable of holding multiple hoops and embroidering several patterns at once. In addition, the size and shape of the hoop may also vary. However, the operation of these different machines works along the same lines.
A pattern to be embroidered is first created by a digitizer, who by means of a computer converts a design to stitches in a format that the embroidery machine can understand. The design to be digitized can be a computer image file of various formats, or it can be on printed paper or in the imagination of the digitizer. Once the digitized design is completed, the operator of the embroidery machine uploads the digitized design into the embroidery machine by means of, e.g., a floppy disc, CD-ROM, memory card, and in some cases the design is transferred directly to the embroidery machine before embroidery or little by little through a network cable during the stitching process.
Before securing the fabric within the hoop, the user applies an adhesive spray 302 to the backing material 301. The embroidery machine is then started, and the automated embroidery process continues until the embroidered pattern is finished. After the embroidery design is finished, the backing material is simply torn away from the fabric.
As an alternative to the tear away backing and spray-on adhesive, a self-adhesive, tear-away paper backing can be used in the hoop to secure the fabric in place. However, the general process is virtually the same. In this case, the backing is removed to expose the adhesive before the fabric is placed onto the exposed adhesive paper.
The current approach described above has several disadvantages. Though aligning the fabric within the hoop is fairly simple, there is the possibility of human error, resulting in misalignment of the embroidery design on the fabric. The adhesive itself may also be insufficient to prevent the fabric from shifting during the embroidery process.
In addition, the spray-on adhesive can also interfere with the operation of the embroidering machine as the adhesive has a tendency to build up on the sewing needles and can even cause threads to break, requiring the machine to be stopped and the needles rethreaded. The cumulative cost of the spray-on adhesive or self-adhesive paper also contributes considerably to the cost of production.
An alternative method is to clamp the fabric directly to the hoop and a tear-away or cut-away backing material. However the clamping process when hooping fabrics can damage fragile fabrics such as velvet.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method for properly securing fabric in the embroidering machine without the need for applying adhesive chemicals or expensive self-adhesive backings to secure the fabric as well as reducing the likelihood of human error in the alignment of the fabric and damaging the fabric in the process.